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Astros announce Minor League Players of Month

The Astros Player Development Department has named the following Players of the Month for July:

Triple A Round Rock: RHP Casey Daigle posted five saves and a 2.53 ERA (3ER/10.2IP) in 11 games in July to earn Round Rock Pitcher of the Month honors. OF Brian Bogusevic was named Offensive Player of the Month after hitting .277 (28×101) with 10 RBI. IF JasonSmith received the Defensive Player of the Month after recording a .996 fielding percentage in 54 games on the infield this season.

Double A Corpus Christi: After posting a 3.96 ERA (16ER/36.1IP) and a 3-2 record in July, LHP Andy Van Hekken was named Pitcher of the Month for the Hooks. OF Drew Locke was named Offensive Player of the Month for the third time this season, after hitting .318 (34×107) with 18 runs scored, six doubles, five homers and 23 RBI. IF Jhon Florentino‘s .938 fielding percentage (192TC/12E) while playing 78 games on the infield this season earned him the Defensive Player of the Month title for Corpus Christi.

Class A Advanced Lancaster: JetHawks Pitcher of the Month RHP Leandro Cespedes owned a 3-1 record and a 4.29 ERA (17ER/35.2IP) in six starts in July. OF Jon Gaston had 17 extra-base hits, including five triples and 11 home runs, while driving in 21 RBI en route to receiving his third consecutive Offensive Player of the Month award. The Defensive Player of the Month was IF Marcos Cabral, who has posted a .974 fielding percentage (421TC/11E) in 83 games on the infield this season.

Class A Lexington: Pitcher of the Month LHP Patrick Urckfitz finished the month with a 1-0 record and a 0.77 ERA (1ER/11.2IP) in 10 relief appearances for Lexington. OF JayAustin was named Offensive Player of the Month after hitting .290 (31×107) with nine extra-base hits, eight steals and 10 RBI in 26 games with the Legends. IF Andy Simunic received Defensive Player of the Month honors after recording a .973 fielding percentage (184TC/5E) in 51 games on the infield this season.

Short-Season A Tri-City: RHP J.B. MacDonald was named Pitcher of the Month for Tri-City after going 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA (2ER/14.2IP) in eight relief appearances. OF Brian Kemp hit .286 (28×98), posted a .386 on-base percentage and scored 18 runs to earn the club’s Offensive Player of the Month honor. The Defensive Player of the Month went to IF Barry Butera after he compiled a .988 fielding percentage through 33 games on the infield this season.

Rookie Level Greeneville: RHP Jose Cisnero posted a 2-0 record and a 3.43 ERA (8ER/21IP), while striking out 22 hitters in five starts to earn Pitcher of the Month honors for Greeneville. Offensive Player of the Month honors were earned by IF Jose Altuve after hitting .330 (33×100) with 14 extra-base hits, a .433 on-base percentage and 10 RBI in 26 games. OF Grant Hogue was named the Defensive Player of the Month after collecting a .946 fielding percentage in 26 games in Greeneville’s outfield.

Rookie Level Gulf Coast League: RHP Juan Minaya and RHP Michael Schurz earned Co-Pitchers of the Month for the Astros Gulf Coast League affiliate. Minaya went 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA (6ER/26IP) in six starts, while Schurz finished the month 2-0 with six saves and a 2.13 ERA (3ER/12.2IP) to earn the honors. IF Enrique Hernandez was named the Offensive Player of the Month because of his .313 average (31×99) and 19 RBI in 25 games in July. Defensive Player of the Month went to IF Luis Bryan, who played in 28 games on the Astros’ infield.

Rookie Level Dominican Summer League: RHP Francisco Baso posted a 3-0 record with one save and a 0.89 ERA (2ER/20.1IP) in six games to earn Pitcher of the Month honors for the DSL Astros. The Offensive Player of the Month honor was awarded to IF Hector Rodriguez, who hit .299 (20×67) with five doubles and 14 runs scored. IF Mario Gonzalez earned the Defensive Player of the Month for the Astros after posting a .996 (254TC/1E) fielding percentage in 33 games on the infield this season.

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